Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has denied accusing former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad of refusing to sign documents to release his trustee responsibilities over party assets.
Zahid said the party appreciated the contributions by Mahathir, who was the Umno president from 1981 to 2003, and would be open to the idea if he wanted to relinquish such responsibilities.
“I never mentioned his (Mahathir’s) name. When I was asked by a reporter, I only said an individual.
“And if there were technical issues, such as the misspelling of the said individual’s name, it can be rectified.
“We in Umno have no issue (on the matter),” he told reporters here today.
Mahathir had previously said he released his trustee responsibilities over a 9,723 sq m plot of land in Kuala Lumpur to the party in 2015.
He also said that Umno’s filing of an originating summons seeking a court declaration to transfer ownership of the land to the party did not involve him. The Seri Pacific Hotel is located on the land.
Mahathir said the originating summons filed by Umno’s executive secretary, Sumali Reduan, on March 6 had named the federal territories land and mines department as the defendant, and not him.
Earlier this month, Zahid said one individual, whom he did not name, had not signed documents to release his trustee responsibilities over party assets, while the others had done so.
The land – Grant 78154, Lot 40, Section 51, Kuala Lumpur – was registered under the names of four trustees – Mahathir, Musa Hitam, the late Daim Zainuddin and the late Sanusi Junid – pursuant to Clause 27.1 of the Umno constitution and Section 9 of the Societies Act 1966.
Last week, Mahathir threatened to sue Umno Supreme Council member Puad Zarkashi over his statement on social media calling for the two-time prime minister to return the party’s assets.
A notice of demand had been issued over the statement Puad made on April 12, saying the deletion of the said writing and/or publication without any apology to Mahathir is insufficient.
